Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM), F-12 nutrient mixture, Hanks’ balanced salt solution (HBSS), fetal bovine serum (FBS), HEPES-buffer, penicillin, streptomycin, neomycin, amphotericin B, gentamicin, and dispase II were purchased from Gibco-BRL (Grand Island, NY). All other reagents and chemicals including 1-n-heptanol, mouse-derived epidermal growth factor, cholera-toxin (subunit A), dimethyl sulfoxide, hydrocortisone, and insulin-transferrin-sodium selenite (ITS) medium supplement were obtained from Sigma Chemical Co. (St. Louis, MO). Plastic cell culture dishes (35- and 60-mm), tissue culture plastic plates (six-well), and 15- and 50-mL sterile centrifuge tubes were obtained from Becton Dickinson (Lincoln Park, NJ). Thirty-millimeter-diameter culture plate inserts (0.4 μm; Millicell-PC) and polycarbonate filters were from Millipore (Bedford, MA). All sutures including 6-0 Vicryl, 9-0 Vicryl, 10-0 nylon, and 9-0 nylon were obtained from Ethicon (Piscataway, NJ).